AZ Approves New Sales Tax Increase?

[AZRedhawk44]

http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2010/05/19/20100519salestax-electionday0519.html

copywrited material removed
This part irks me.

It passed 3:2 when you add in the fact that this was the ONLY thing on the ballot and that the state was EXTREMELY tight-lipped with advertising about the vote.  You normally hear radio ads urging people to get out and vote, from the AZ SecState's office.  None of that, this time.

That results in more die-hard supporters getting out than lay voters.  

So it passed 3:2 in a cherry-picked election with nothing else on the ballot to draw people out.  And she thinks it gives her a mandate in the GOP primary?  Come on.  I definitely support the No on 100 people now, more than ever.

[MechAg94]

I imagine a lot of people figured that was one tax even illegals would be paying.

[RocketMan]

Temporary tax?  Yeah, right.  

[dm1333]

Was the tax written with an expiration date?  In a dire emergency (think WWII) I might not have a problem with a tax that written so that it would be in effect from x to y, expires on y and can't come back.  I don't think that should be done to solve our current budget problems, we spent our way into this mess and need to cut our way out of it.

[AZRedhawk44]

Yes, it has a hard-coded expiration date that is enforced by our State Constitution, so it will go away in 3 years (I think).

In the meantime, a lot of localities also passed "temporary" sales tax increases at the city level that are not protected by guarantees of sunset.

Depending where you are in AZ, you could pay nearly 10% in sales tax.

[Balog]

We pay about %10 sales tax in WA, but no state income tax.

I'm always amused when they say "We have to cut the budget, so cops (firefighters/schools) will have less money." Really? You don't have any welfare programs, "art" or "culture" programs etc to cut? Riigghhhhttttt....

However, I realize a lot of the problem is illegals sucking funds, which they have tried to address. And if they really have cut two billion from the budget and need a temporary bump while they kick more illegals out I'm more ok with it.

[Firethorn]

I saw this and wondered if it was going to be for 'electricity destined for out of state use'. 

[AZRedhawk44]

Blows my mind that this issue has been completely sidelined, in light of our new "1070" law for police to investigate suspected illegals.

She's getting her "conservative credentials" lauded by all the talk show circuit... and she raised taxes "for the children."

The whole time I've lived here, we've had women governors who have bleeding hearts for the children the Teacher's Union.  Now, this unelected Governess is going to have an easy time getting re-elected, even though the actual enforcement teeth of 1070 is pretty minimal.  And, it's gonna get tied up in Federal Court on its first prosecution.

1070 is small peanuts versus actually protecting the social welfare infrastructure that makes illegals want to come here in the first place.

Making our state 100% distasteful to Democrats and social leeches would get rid of the illegals faster than cops pulling them over onesey-twosey and fighting the Feds and the Mexican consulate in court.

[Raykirk]

Many people insisted in implementing this 1% increase rate of sales tax in Arizona. In fact, people are not only paying one tax. It is definitely added pain to their mind.

[lee n. field]

Arizona voters Tuesday gave a resounding thumbs-up to a temporary sales-tax increase, handing Gov. Jan Brewer a victory in her yearlong crusade to raise money for a strapped state budget.

"Temporary". Yeah, right.

I don't think there's been one "temporary" tax increase here in the People's State of Illinois in my lifetime that's actually been temporary.

[erictank]

"Temporary". Yeah, right.

I don't think there's been one "temporary" tax increase here in the People's State of Illinois in my lifetime that's actually been temporary.

Until you actually make it to "forever", you can't make that judgement.  They *COULD* wipe 'em all out next week.

[Monkeyleg]

I don't think there's been one "temporary" tax increase here in the People's State of Illinois in my lifetime that's actually been temporary.

I remember when the tollway around Chicago was being built in the late 50's or early 60's. City and state officials assured the public that the tolls were a temporary charge that would be eliminated once the construction was paid for.

Right.

[RoadKingLarry]

I remember when the tollway around Chicago was being built in the late 50's or early 60's. City and state officials assured the public that the tolls were a temporary charge that would be eliminated once the construction was paid for.

Right.

Oklahoma Turnpikes are the same way, "They will be free when they are paid for".
Biggest load of crap ever peddled to the public here.
Month or so ago there was a big push starting to "expose" the Turnpike Authority and how it was a for profit operation with big money going out of state. haven't heard a word from the state senator that was pushing it and I'm not sure the TV station ever aired the piece they were advertising .

[vaskidmark]

http://www.americanthinker.com/2010/09/the_government_tapeworm.html

The key result ... is in panel C, which shows the behavior of real GDP following an innovation of one percentage point to our series of exogenous tax changes ... The estimated maximum effect is a decline of 2.93 percent after ten quarters ... the effect falls to -1.84 percent after 15 quarters, and then remains roughly at that level."

At this time readers are instructed to remove all beverages from their mouth, place all breakables well out of reach, and wrap their heads with duct tape to prevent esplodyness.  Those who subscribe to the use of bubble-wrap for the prevention of injuries related to banging heads on brick walls should apply several layers at this time.

The punchline is that this study was done by Christina and David Romer. You might remember Christina as President Obama's first chair of his Council of Economic Advisers. David, her husband, is on the recession dating committee of the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), the outfit that everyone relies on to say when recessions start and stop. (The date of this study's release was June 2010. Ms. Romer announced her resignation from Obama's administration in August 2010.)

What gets me is that most folks who are not involved in the collection and redistribution of other peoples' money seem to intuitively know this stuff.  Without going all Godwin, the phrase "bleeding them white" did not just spring forth without prescedent.

stay safe.

[vaskidmark]

Until you actually make it to "forever", you can't make that judgement.  They *COULD* wipe 'em all out next week.

Actually, I can cite you an example.  The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority erected toll booths every 75 yards along Interstate 95 between the two cities and said they would use the money to widen the road from one to three (total) lanes.     (If you drove between DC and NC in the 60's you'll remember when I-95 first appeared in various spots parallel to Jefferson Davis Highway.  )

Anyhow, well after all the bonds had been retired someone actually started to get antsy and ask when the toll booths were going to come down.  The answer seemed to be "Never!" until someone read the actual bond language and brought it to court.  There are several places along the way where you might wonder why the shoulders suddenly flare out to the equivalent of 25 lanes then narrow back down.  Former toll plazas!

But that did not go unnoticed.  All bond issues since then have scroupulously avoided language stating a restricted use or time period for the collecting of tolls.  And to make things even moar betterer the state has taken to selling a few toll roads to private operators who immediately went on a paving orgy (spraying used motor oil on the macadam) to justify toll increases.  (Seems some folks do read history and try not to let it repeat.  Now if only we could get folks without larceny in their hearts to do that.)

stay safe.

[erictank]

Actually, I can cite you an example.  The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority erected toll booths every 75 yards along Interstate 95 between the two cities and said they would use the money to widen the road from one to three (total) lanes.     (If you drove between DC and NC in the 60's you'll remember when I-95 first appeared in various spots parallel to Jefferson Davis Highway.  )

Anyhow, well after all the bonds had been retired someone actually started to get antsy and ask when the toll booths were going to come down.  The answer seemed to be "Never!" until someone read the actual bond language and brought it to court.  There are several places along the way where you might wonder why the shoulders suddenly flare out to the equivalent of 25 lanes then narrow back down.  Former toll plazas!

But that did not go unnoticed.  All bond issues since then have scroupulously avoided language stating a restricted use or time period for the collecting of tolls.  And to make things even moar betterer the state has taken to selling a few toll roads to private operators who immediately went on a paving orgy (spraying used motor oil on the macadam) to justify toll increases.  (Seems some folks do read history and try not to let it repeat.  Now if only we could get folks without larceny in their hearts to do that.)

stay safe.

I remember those!  They (toll booths) were indeed all over the place on the highway, and I remember my surprise when, sometime after my EAOS when I went down to Hampton Roads for some reason, I saw the booths had been removed.  Shock and astonishment!!! 

[Boomhauer]

Actually, I can cite you an example.  The Richmond-Petersburg Turnpike Authority erected toll booths every 75 yards along Interstate 95 between the two cities and said they would use the money to widen the road from one to three (total) lanes.   shocked  (If you drove between DC and NC in the 60's you'll remember when I-95 first appeared in various spots parallel to Jefferson Davis Highway

I'll have to ask my dad about the tollbooths. He and my Great Grandfather built many of the bridges up and down that road, including unf***ing the Petersburg interchange...